Supreme Grand Chapter Of Royal Arch Masons.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS .

A QUARTERLY Convocation of the Supreme Grand Chapter will be held at Freemasons' Hall , London , on Wednesday , the 7 th day of November next , at six o ' clock in the evening . The Minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation to be read for confirmation .

The report of the Committee of General Purposes ( as follows ) will be submitted to the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England .

The Committee of General Purposes beg to report thafc they have examined the accounts from the 18 fch July to the 17 th October 1883 , both inclusive , which they find to be as follows : — £ a d £ s d

Balance Grand Chap- Disbursements dnring ter - - 1043 14 1 the quarter - 201 10 4 „ Unappropriated Balance - - 1031 19 9 Acconnt - 209 9 10 „ in Unappropriated Subsequent Receipts- 195 14 6 Account - 215 8 4 £ 1 , 448 18 5 £ 1 , 448 18 5

which balances are in the Bank of England , Western Branch . The Committee have likewise to report that fchey have received the following Petitions : — 1 st . From Companions William Richard Pratt ns Z ., James Gray

as H ., William Barefoot as J ., and six others for a Chapter to be attaohed to the John Miller Lodge , No . 1906 , Madras , to be called " The Madras Chapter , " and to meet at Royapoorum , or Black Town , Madras , in fche East Indies .

2 nd . From Companions Theobald Ringer , M . D ., as Z ., Reverend John A _ gus- _ 8 Lloyd , M . A ., asH ., John Campbell Maclean as J ., and ten others for a Chapter to be attached to the Lodge of Loyalty , No . 1533 , Marlborough , to be called " The Methnen Chapter , " and to meet afc the Masonio Hall , Marlborough , Wiltshire .

- 3 rd . From Companions Sir Michael Edward Hicks Beach , Bart ., M . P ., as Z ., John Walker as H ., Richard V . Vassar-Smith as J ., and nine others for a Chapter to be attached to the Royal Gloucestershire Lodge , No . 839 , Gloucester , to be called "The Royal Gloucestershire Chapter , " and to meet afc the Bell Hotel , Gloucester .

The foregoing Petitions being in all respects regular , the Committee recommend that the prayers thereof be respectively granted . The Committee have likewise to report that they have received a

Memorial from the Compani ons of the Chapter of Unanimity , No . 42 , Bury , Lancashire , praying for a Charter authorising them to wear a Centenary Jewel , in accordance with the resolution passed by the Supreme Grand Chapter on the 1 st February 1882 .

This Memorial being in form and the Chapter having proved an uninterrupted existence of one hundred years , the Committee recommend thafc the prayer thereof be granted . The Committee have likewise to report that the District Grand Lodge of Malta having , on tho 18 th September 1883 , expelled from

Masonry a Brother of the Wanderers' Lodge , No . 1604 , London , and P . M . and Treasurer of fche Wayfarers' Lodge , No . 1926 , Malta , also of the Melita Chapter , No . 349 , Malta , for defalcation of his Lodge

accounts , the Grand Chapter will , in accordance with Article 10 , page 6 , of the Royal Arch Regulations , proceed to deelare the said Companion expelled from the Royal Arch Degree . The President will therefore

move" Thafc the said Companion , of the Molita Chapter , No . 349 , be declared expelled from the Order of Royal Arch Masons . " The Committee have also to report that the Grand Orient of Portugal having intimated that they had authorised tho formation of a Royal Arch Grand Chapter for that Conntry , with Chapters

working in accordance with the English Ritual , and the said Grand Orient and Grand Chapter having each requested the recognition of the latter Body by the Grand Chapter of England ; the Committee recommend thafc this Grand Chapter do accede to the request . The President will therefore

move" That the Grand Chapter of Portugal be henceforth recognised by the Supreme Grand Chapter . " The Committee also beg to recommend , and the President will

move" That the sum of £ 2 , 000 be granted from the funds of this Grand Chapter , in aid of the proposed re-building of the Temple ab Freemasons' Hall , recently destroyed by fire . "

( Signed ) JOHN CREATON , P . G . Pr . Soj . Past Grand Treasurer , President FKEEJIASONS' HALL , LONDON , W . C . 17 th October 1883 .

Ho . towi . ' s Pt __ s are strongly vecommcnrteil to all persons who are much re ancetl in power an . condition . W'ose . omac . s are weak , trad whose nerres jjre shattered . Tho beneficial effects of these Pills will he perceptible after a ° w days' trial , though a more extended course may he required to re-establish perfect health . Hollowav ' s medicine acts on tlie organs of digestion , and n-inces complete regularity in the stomach , liver , pancrea ., and kidneys . * pis tr-atment is both safe and certain in result , and is thorough ] -- consistent vit , _ observation , e . nerie ce . and common sense . The trarification of tho

0 » "•the removal of all noxious ma'ter from the secretions , and the oxcitemem T _ - ? entfe act'on in the bowels , are the sources of the curative powers of holloway ' s Pills .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Letters must bear the name ani address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , hut ac a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

" POOR CANDIDATES AND THB VOTING SYSTEM . "

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR , —I have read with much interest your leading article on " Poor Candidates and the Voting System , " and if the truths therein expressed could only be brought home to some of tho leading and most charitably disposed of the Brotherhood , so as either to abolish , or greatly alter the present "voting system , " you will

indeed have conferred a great benefit and kindness on many widows and candidates , both of present and future times . The expense is , as you remark , great , and truly places those most in need of assistance at the greatest disadvantage , and just afc a time when both money and time is to the widow most valuable . Ifc is not alone the expense , but the time occupied in canvassing for votes , either personally or by

letter , which must of necessity be undertaken by the widow ; time by this means is lost , as it debars her from obtaining any employment by which to augment her income , and even precludes her , if she enter " heart and soul" into the business of " securing votes , " from carry , ing on the education of younger children , should her means , whioh is often the case , be insufficient to send them to school with the elder

ones . Hence , double evil is wrought where a benefit is intended . I can assure you that ever since my boy was sent in for " election , " I have done nothing but write letters , and send out circulars to subscribers ; and , finding that no replies were received at first , I the second time enclosed a " stamped envelope " to ensure a reply of some kind , in order to save myself the trouble of writing half a dozen times

to no pnrpose j to enclose a stamp is therefore a saving in the end . I have two children ( out of four ) whose education I should be now conducting myself , or else , by obtaining a " Companionship" afc a salary , at least maintaining one afc school j which would also save friends fche burden of its support ;; but with this voting business on hand , it is impossible ; as , if I wish to succeed , I must labour for

myself . Doubtless many others are in a similarly uncomfortable position . I could say more on the same head , respecting the great trouble ifc imposes on friends , & c . With regard to the " borrowing" system , I waa nofc until very lately aware that any one would dream of guaranteeing " a loan of votes " unless they knew they were in a position to return them at a

given time , and had no idea that a failure of " return of votes " to time wonld necessitate " pecuniary compensation . " This places one in a still more awkward position , as , under the circumstances , I for one could never never think of asking , or permitting a friend to ask , for a " loan of votes , " unless I felfc that I could myself pay for the favour , aa I shonld on such terms consider it equivalent to" begging "

for £ 50 or more , which 1 conld not endure . I do not understand the working of the " voting system , " but beg to offer a suggestion as to how I think ifc might be made easier , viz ., Suppose that " Present , ations " were issued , according to fche number of vacancies each time , these to be g iven each year to Her Majesty , to the Prince of VVales , and the rest of the Vice Presidents in turn . A report of all the cases ,

with their various necessities , to be sent firsfc to all these for consideration , and when each Vice President has decided on which child he would snpport , then the whole list of gentlemen having Presentations , with the name of the candidate each intends to support , to be printed on balloting papers , and sent to each subscriber , & c , who would then decide , in tnru , for whom they would vote , and send

their papers to the Vice President favouring thafc particular case . Of course , the candidates not chosen by the Vice President wonld be set aside for next election . There might also be a sum , say from £ 20 downwards , fixed for candidates to pay , according as they were admitted at first , second , or third elections , which would benefit the Institution , and nofc as now ( with more added ) be expended by the

widow for benefit of Inland Revenue , printers , stationers , & c ; it would for this purpose be incurred with pleasure . I hope I may be pardoned , being a sufferer , the presumption of offering these suggestions , bnt ifc is merely an " idea , " which may perhaps be better " worked out" by those who understand these matters . This would ,

I think , be fair to all parties , and as borrowing is wrong in principle , under a new regime it is to be hoped that it would be considered illegal , and the candidature of any one attempting ifc be forfeited . I fear that I have trespassed seriously on yonr valuable time , and hope you will kindly excuse my attempt at a reply . Yours truly and gratefully , THE MOTHER OI A CANDIDATE .

Installation Concerts.

INSTALLATION CONCERTS .

To the Editor of the F REEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Ifc surprised several of my friends very much , and myself nofc less than them , that you should have thought it oxpedient or wise to protest against Lodges having an arranged musical programme to ncoompany the toasts afc their Installation

banquets . When , however , after tho lapse of a fortnight , your two correspondents in last week's issue of the CHRONICLE have summoned np boklnpss enough to snpport the peculiar notions ventilated by yon , I think it only meet to say , as one of tho opposition , that I am very pleased to think that the majority of the Craft are not of the same opinion . In reference to the opinions of the two correspondents